Posted on 01/19/2013 3:05:26 PM PST by generally
The feds enabled it from top to bottom, and not just with equipment, but encouragement, training, etc. At the grand level, it was a response to terrorist groups like the Weathermen, the Black Panthers, and others. The idea to turn police into paramilitaries.
A big element was that at the state level, the feds wanted police to have military-type standards of physical fitness, and some degree of aggression training. Its legal background was the RICO Act of 1970.
It very rapidly turned into a “Corruption Act”, at its peak “arresting” some $6b in property, annually, and giving a 10% cut ($600m) to local police, just because it was on their turf, even if they had no involvement. And to get the property back would cost its owner about $100k in superior court, which usually meant that it was not worth it to even try.
This, in effect, subsidized local police departments to buy any kind of military or police equipment they wanted, which is why the front cab of most police cars today has more screens and equipment than a high performance jet.
One of the really ugly side effects of paramilitarizing police has been the lure of steroid abuse, which has a powerful lure for police who have bought into the notion of job aggression, even though in the vast majority of what they do, aggression is not a good thing.
OK,that's a fair response.But when the guy starts shooting all bets are off IMO.It sounds as if the family might have had good reason to be concerned about him (again,age...health profile).Perhaps *they* should have checked on him rather than call the cops.Even if he was "far gone" mentally he probably wouldn't have felt threatened by a family member.I worked in a hospital ER for years.I dealt with many a person with serious psych disorders,including paranoia.Some of those people were elderly.It's a sad,sad situation...particularly when it's an older person.
“It sounds as if the family might have had good reason to be concerned about him”
Well, they don’t have to be concerned about him now then, do they? When the cops come to your door to take your weapons, don’t you think the little blurb in the paper will sound something like this story? I mean, this is an 83 yo man who, as far as I can tell, wasn’t bothering a soul. And the cops were told he had weapons. And then the SWAT team was called. For what?????? And maybe this 83 yo man decided he had just had enough. “I’m not bothering anyone leave me alone.” And if there is one thing I know, and you better listen, the Police are not just going to “leave you alone”
If it ever comes to the time when our guns are being confiscated, then this is what the story will be.
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